Rating: K

Setting: AU

Warnings: None

Notes: A day late, I know. Yesterday was crazy… The seventh and final day will be up shortly.

Day 6: Caroling

The first time Elsa saw her, it was December 1st, by the fountain inside the mall. She was standing before the structure, guitar strapped over her shoulder, case open on the ground, and a Santa hat perched atop her head.

Elsa paid her no attention the first time because not only was she in a hurry, but—despite it finally being December—it was still too early for Christmas music in her opinion.

A week later, she was there again. This time, Elsa stopped.

Playing a guitar rendition of "Little Drummer Boy," the girl with the guitar looked up with a smile as Elsa reached down to place a dollar bill in the guitar case at her feet. Nodding her head in thanks and with a whispered "merry Christmas," the girl continued playing flawlessly. Smiling back, Elsa continued on her way, and that was that.

Except upon returning home that night, Elsa couldn't get the girl with the guitar out of her mind.

Laying on her bed that night and texting her best friend, Kristoff, Elsa wondered what had her so enraptured.

"I mean, sure she was good," Elsa sent Kristoff in a text, "but is that enough of a reason for her to be stuck in my head?"

"I don't know," Kristoff texted back a few minutes later. "Was she cute?"

Elsa blushed as she read the message, and if the blond had been there in person, that would have been all the answer he would have needed.

"Think of it this way," Kristoff sent another message without waiting for Elsa's response, "what about her had you stop the second time versus walking on past like you did the first time?"

Elsa took a moment to think about that. Why had she stopped and even given money to her the second time?

For one thing, Elsa had never been a fan of the holiday season after her parents perished in a car wreck Christmas Eve night five years ago. She was the renowned Scrooge amongst her friends as she never listened to carols, never decorated her place, and rarely celebrated with friends.

She especially hated the music, as "Silent Night" had been playing on her radio when she had received the news about her parents.

So then why did she stop to listen to a random girl playing Christmas carols?

"I mean," Elsa started her reply, her fingers dancing hesitantly over the screen, "that's the thing. She just had this…pull…about her."

"Again, I have to ask, was she cute?"

"Yes."

"Then there you go."

XxXxX

Elsa had never been very comfortable with her sexuality. She had dated only two boys in her twenty-one years, and both left much to be desired. It was only recently she had started seeing girls in a different light, and going from living thinking you were straight and just hadn't found "Mr Right" yet, to thinking maybe you're looking for "Ms Right" was a bit jarring. Elsa had never really entertained the idea that she could be gay, or at the very least bi.

But she also couldn't deny that the girl with the guitar had been cute.

That's why she was back at the mall again, two days before Christmas, with Kristoff as her wingman.

"So, what are you thinking now that we're here?" Kristoff asked.

They were currently standing a bit away from where the girl stood, again by the fountain and donning a Santa hat—much to Elsa's amusement. The girl wasn't dressed in any real noticeable way that called for attention. Aside from the hat, she basically blended in to the crowd. Wearing but a simple hoodie and jeans, she looked like your basic Plain Jane.

So, why was she captivating Elsa so?

"I mean, she looks normal," Elsa tried to explain.

At Kristoff's "duh" look, she rolled her eyes and tried again.

"I mean, she's attractive, yeah," she said. "But I still don't know why she hasn't left my mind."

Kristoff shrugged. "Well, have the songs she's played meant anything to you?"

Elsa shook her head. "I haven't heard 'Silent Night' yet, if that's what you're asking."

Again, a shrug accompanied Kristoff's answer. "Maybe you should get her number then," he suggested. "Maybe getting to know her better will enlighten you as to what has you so hooked."

"I haven't seen her put that guitar down once, though," Elsa explained. "She will for a brief moment to drink some water, but then she's right back to playing."

"And you know all this how?" the blond asked with a sly smile.

Elsa blushed under the scrutiny.

"I might have come yesterday and watched her play from afar for an hour," she mumbled.

Kristoff laughed. "If that's the case, Els, then the answer's obvious: you're crushing on her."

"But I don't even know her!" the blonde cried.

"You don't have to know someone to have a crush on them," Kristoff explained. "Fall in love, sure, maybe, but an innocent crush can happen instantaneously."

As the duo continued to watch the girl from afar, she began to play "Good King Wenceslas" and Elsa smiled; that had always been her favorite Christmas song.

Seeing the girl play it only made it even more so.

Smiling softly, yet with a blush on her cheeks, Elsa turned to Kristoff.

"Stay here," she told him. "I'll be right back. You want anything from Starbucks?"

With Kristoff's order stored in her brain, Elsa set off down the hallway, intent on returning quickly enough. She approached the small stand-alone coffee store and got in a relatively short line for the season. Approaching the counter, Elsa placed her order and upon receiving it minutes later, asked to borrow a Sharpie.

Writing quickly on one of the three cups, she handed the Sharpie back to the employee—who was grinning knowingly the entire time—before heading back to Kristoff and the girl with the guitar.

"Three drinks?" Kristoff pointed out upon her return.

Elsa just smirked. "I got this," she said. "Watch."

Walking with purpose towards the girl, she came to a stop before her and her open guitar case, already nicely filled with dollars and coins.

The girl met Elsa's gaze halfway to her approach and recognition dawned on her face as she smiled in greeting.

Mirroring said smile, Elsa placed a lone Starbucks cup by the girl's case.

Standing tall, she caught the look of confusion in the girl's eyes and just smiled bigger.

"Read what's on it," she whispered before walking away.

She could feel the girl's eyes on her back as she came back to Kristoff, said male grinning.

"Bold move," he told her. "I take it the cup had something written on it?"

"Let's just say, I might be getting a call or text later tonight," Elsa said smugly.

And sure enough, she did.

Her phone trilled at her around eight that night, and Elsa picked it up to see an unknown number calling her. Taking in a deep breath to calm herself, Elsa picked up.

"Hello?"

"Um… Hi," the voice on the other end replied. "I'm Anna. The…girl who plays in the mall?"

Elsa smirked despite her nerves; it was obvious the other girl was anxious as well.

"Did you like your tip?" she asked. "I figured I couldn't go wrong with hot chocolate."

"I love hot chocolate!" the voice responded with a cry, eliciting a chuckle from Elsa. "And it even had peppermint in it! How did you know?"

"Lucky guess," Elsa supplied. "I figured since it's the Christmas season, peppermint was appropriate."

"Thanks, by the way," the girl said. "I've noticed you watching me play several times now. Plus I never got to really thank you for the money that one time."

"It's no problem," Elsa told her with a shrug, getting comfy on her bed. "You're really good."

"Yeah?" the voice on the other end was hopeful and bashful, Elsa could tell.

"Absolutely," Elsa affirmed. "Honestly, I'm not a big fan of the season, especially the music that accompanies it, but you're working pretty hard to change my mind."

"What don't you like?"

There was a minute's silence as Elsa fought with what to say.

The girl on the other end instantly worked to rectify what she thought she had damaged.

"I'm sorry, should I not have asked that?"

"No, no," Elsa shushed her. "It's fine, really. It's just…my parents died around Christmas a few years ago, and ever since then the holidays haven't been the same."

"I'm sorry," the girl—Anna, Elsa remembered her saying—spoke. "If it's any consolation, my father passed just last year around this time."

Before Elsa could apologize for the girl's loss, Anna was speaking again.

"That's why I play," she explained. "He taught me. He bought me this guitar for my sixteenth birthday and I've had it ever since. Christmas has always been my favorite holiday, so last year after he passed I was devastated. I channeled my grief through music and learned every carol out there to help me get through it this year."

There was a beat.

"Does that make sense?"

"It does," Elsa replied with a nod, despite the fact Anna couldn't see. "I could tell the songs had some deeper meaning to you by the way you play. You seem so passionate about it."

"I am," Anna responded with a nervous giggle. "I just hope I don't look too passionate. That might look weird to strangers, I don't know."

They shared a laugh before falling into another silence.

This time, Elsa broke it first.

"Well, after you finishing playing tomorrow, can I treat you to lunch?" she asked.

Elsa could almost hear the smile on the other end as Anna replied, "That sounds great."

"You're very talented, Anna," Elsa told her, preparing to end the conversation. "I've really enjoyed listening to you play."

"Thanks," she mumbled. "Will you…come again tomorrow? Before our lunch date?"

Elsa couldn't help her blush at the utterance of the word "date," but replied in the affirmative either way.

"I wouldn't miss it for anything," she said honestly.

They hung up them with a quick exchange of goodbyes, but it wasn't ten minutes later Elsa's phone lit up with a text. Unlocking it, the message that greeted her made her smile.

"I never got your name, mysterious listener."

Composing a reply, Elsa sent, "My name is Elsa. Looking forward to our date tomorrow, Anna. ;)"

"Me too. ;))"

And that was how one girl changed Elsa's perspective on Christmas carols, and the entire holiday season.